BP Must Pay Some Gulf Claims Filed Against Halliburton

A judge ruled that BP must cover some of the direct damage claims awarded against Halliburton for the $40 billion in cleanup costs and economic losses caused by the 2010 oil well explosion and Gulf of Mexico spill.

BP, which is based in London, must indemnify Halliburton for compensatory damage claims under its drilling contract, Judge Carl J. Barbier of the United States District Court in New Orleans ruled on Tuesday. BP sued Halliburton, which provided cementing services for the project, in April to recover a share of any damages and costs from the spill. Any punitive damages awarded against Halliburton do not have to be paid by BP, the judge said.

“BP is required to indemnify Halliburton for third-party compensatory claims that arise from pollution or contamination that did not originate from the property or equipment of Halliburton located above the surface of the land or water, even if Halliburton’s gross negligence caused the pollution,” Judge Barbier wrote.

Any civil penalties under the Clean Water Act against Halliburton, which is based in Houston, also will not have to be covered by BP, the judge said.

The decision follows an earlier ruling that BP must indemnify Transocean, owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded and sank.

Judge Barbier said he would not rule yet on BP’s claim that Halliburton committed fraud by concealing material information about the cement tests it conducted. A ruling against Halliburton on this issue may make the company liable for damages.

Scott Dean, a BP spokesman, did not immediately comment on the ruling. Beverly Blohm Stafford, a spokeswoman for Halliburton, did not immediately respond to e-mail and voice messages seeking comment.

In April 2010, a blowout and the explosion that followed killed 11 workers and set off the worst offshore oil spill in United States history. The accident led to hundreds of lawsuits against BP and its partners and contractors.

A version of this article appears in print on February 1, 2012, on page B4 of the New York edition with the headline: BP Must Pay Some Gulf Claims Filed Against Halliburton. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe